Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, film director, social critic, satirist, writer, and MC. Pryor was known for uncompromising examinations of racism and topical contemporary issues, which employed colorful vulgarities, and profanity, as well as racial epithets. He reached a broad audience with his trenchant observations and storytelling style. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential stand-up comedians of all time: receiving praise from notable comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld, Bob Newhart, and Bill Cosby. His body of work includes the concert movies and recordings starting in the 70s and spanning three decades. He also starred in numerous films as an actor, in both comedic and dramatic roles. He collaborated on many projects with actor Gene Wilder and actor/comedian/writer Paul Mooney. Pryor won an Emmy Award (1973), and five Grammy Awards (1974, 1975, 1976, 1981, and 1982). In 1974, he also won two American Academy of Humor awards and the Writers Guild of America Award. The first ever Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor was presented to him in 1998. Pryor is listed at Number 1 on Comedy Central's list of all-time greatest stand-up comedians.

Filmography

• 2023Betye Saar: Drifting Toward Twilight
• 2022Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank — Original Film Writer
• 2008Black and White Trypps Number Four
• Legends — G.O.D. (archive footage) (uncredited)
• 1999Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Special — (archive footage)
• The Norm Show
• 1997Lost Highway — Arnie
• 1996Mad Dog Time — Jimmy the Gravedigger
• Chicago Hope — Joe Springer
• Martin — Richard Pryor
• 1991Another You — Eddie Dash
• 1991The Three Muscatels — Narrator / Wino / Bartender
• 1989Harlem Nights — Sugar Ray
• 1989See No Evil, Hear No Evil — Wallace 'Wally' Karue
• 1988Moving — Arlo Pear
• 1987Critical Condition — Eddie Lenahan/Dr. Kevin Slattery
• 1986Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling — Jo Jo Dancer / Alter Ego, Screenplay, Director, Producer
• 1985Brewster's Millions — Montgomery Brewster
• Pryor's Place — Richard Pryor, Creator
• 1983Richard Pryor: Here and Now — Self, Writer, Director
• 1983Superman III — August 'Gus' Gorman
• 1982Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip — Self, Writer, Producer
• 1982Some Kind of Hero — Cpl. Eddie Keller / Ted Segal
• 1982The Toy — Jack Brown
• 1981Bustin' Loose — Joe Braxton, Story, Producer
• 1980In God We Tru$t — G.O.D.
• 1980Stir Crazy — Harry Monroe
• 1980Wholly Moses — Pharaoh
• 1979Richard Pryor: Live in Concert — Self, Writer
• 1979The Muppet Movie — Balloon Vendor
• 1978Blue Collar — Ezekiel 'Zeke' Brown
• 1978California Suite — Dr. Chauncey Gump
• 1978The Wiz — The Wiz
• 1977Greased Lightning — Wendell Scott
• The Richard Pryor Show — Host, Creator
• 1977The Richard Pryor Special? — Self / Various, Writer
• 1977Which Way Is Up? — Leroy Jones / Rufus Jones / Rev. Lenox Thomas
• 1976Car Wash — Daddy Rich
• 1976Silver Streak — Grover Muldoon
• 1976The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings — Charlie Snow
• 1975Adiós Amigo — Sam Spade
• 1975Carter's Army — Pvt. Jonathan Crunk
• 1974Blazing Saddles — Screenplay
• 1974Uptown Saturday Night — Sharp Eye Washington
• 1973Hit! — Mike Willmer
• 1973Juke and Opal — Juke
• 1973Lily — Writer
• 1973Some Call It Loving — Jeff
• 1973The Mack — Slim
• 1972Lady Sings the Blues — Piano Man
• 1971Richard Pryor: Live and Smokin' — Self, Writer
• 1971You've Got To Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat — Wino
• The Partridge Family — A.E. Simon
• 1970The Phynx — Richard Pryor
• The Young Lawyers
• 1969The Young Lawyers — Otis Tucker
• 1969Uncle Tom's Fairy Tales — Writer
• 1968Wild in the Streets — Stanley X
• 1967The Busy Body — Whittaker

Appearances as themselves (51)

• 2026Jerry West: The Logo — Self (Archive footage & voice)
• 2025Breakdown: 1975 — Self (archive footage), Self (archive photo/footage)
• 2025I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not — Self (archive footage)
• 2025John Candy: I Like Me — Self - Actor (archive footage)
• 2024Group Therapy — Self (archive footage)
• Hollywood Black — Self (archive footage)
• 2024Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution — Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
• 2024Remembering Gene Wilder — Self (archive footage)
• Stand-Up: The Laughing Therapy — Self (archive footage)
• 2024Zeitgeist: Requiem — Self (archive footage)
• Dark Side of Comedy — Self (Archive Footage)
• 2022The Hall: Honoring the Greats of Stand-Up — Self (archive footage)
• Superstar — Self (archive footage)
• The Comedy Store — Self (archive footage)
• 2020The Last Days of Richard Pryor — Himself
• 2019I Am Richard Pryor — Self - Actor and Comedian (archive footage)
• 2014Richard Pryor: Icon — Self (archive footage)
• 2013Mel Brooks: Make a Noise — Self (archive footage)
• 2013Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic — Self (archive footage)
• I Am — Self
• 2007Cutting Edge Comedians of the '60s & '70s — Self (archive footage)
• 2006The N Word — Self (archive footage)
• 2003101 Most Shocking Moments in Entertainment — Self (archive footage)
• 2003Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!! — Self (archive footage)
• 2001A Huey P. Newton Story — Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
• 1999Sam Kinison: Why Did We Laugh? — Self
• 1997Afro Promo — Self (archive footage)
• 1997Blacks and Jews — Self
• 1994A Century of Cinema — Self
• 1994But... Seriously — Self (archive footage)
• 1991A Party For Richard Pryor — Self
• 1990Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration — Self
• 1986TV's Funniest Comedians - 14 Stars Do Classic Routines — Self
• 1985The Making of 'Superman III' — Self
• 1983Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever — Self
• 1979A Walking Tour of Sesame Street — Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
• 1977The Richard Pryor show Volume 2 — Self
• Saturday Night Live — Self - Host
• 1975The Lion Roars Again — Self
• Dinah! — Self
• 1974Flip Wilson... Of Course — Self
• 1973Wattstax — Self
• The Midnight Special — Self
• 1971Dynamite Chicken — Self
• The Flip Wilson Show — Self
• The Merv Griffin Show — Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson — Self
• The Mike Douglas Show — Self - Co-Host
• Kraft Music Hall — Self
• The Ed Sullivan Show — Self
• Untitled Joan Rivers Documentary — Self (archive footage)